Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-12-08

fFrOm Our Regular Correspondent.
WAspIxGrON, Nov, 26, 1887


WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 1887.
On Tuesday last, at the Cabinet
meeting, all the members were present,
for the first time in a monti,-Secre-
tary Whitney, the sick man OF the
Presidents official family, having re-
turned to duty, after months alb
sence in endeavoring to recuperate his
health, with rather indifferent success.
There are many civil service reformers
and republicans who significantly smile
very broadly. when they note it as
remarkable coincidence, that the Sec
retary's ''iIlness" hurried him off to
New York City during the most excit-
ing days OF the political campaign in
that state. 1t is said that the prin-
.ipal srhiscts . d discnsssd 1t I be Late lal.=
met meeting, were the forthcoming
annual presidential message to Con-
eress, and the international negotia-
tions now in progress over theiisl'eries
controversywith our ne,ghbors OF the
North. This diplomatic duel between
the representatives Of two ofthegreai-
est nations Of the world, will probably
continue several weeks. and may or
may not be productive OF important
results. Whatever action is taken
will OF course, he subject to the ap-
proval OF Congress.
The opening OF the Fiitieth Congress
! will be attended with II far greater
number of changes than usual i'm the
Senators and one hundred new Repre-
entatives having been elected. so
many changes will certainly beinfluen-
tial for good or evil as regards the
working capacity OF the various Con-
gressiOnal committees, and n critical
public will soon discover the real effect,
for it will be apparent in the method
OF conducting the business OF the ses-
sion. From all can learn, the pres
ent House officials are industriously
bestirring themselves to make a com
bine against the "Outs", and there Is
IL fair prospect that the scheme will be
successful. Yet there is no doubt that
the "outs" are causing the ''ins' con
siderable apprehension. Speaker Car
isles re-elect ion is conceded by men OF
all parties-it being certain that nc
democrat will oppose him.
One OF the latest political rumors, is
THAT the friends OF MIR. Sparks. ext ON
missioner OF the General Land Office
will seek to vindicate his official con
duct by electing him to Congress. But
Richard W. Townsend, from the same
district, and of the same party, is a
great Obsticle in the way. for he has
been in Congress from Illinois for nine
teen years, and his constituents speal
of keeping him in Office until he dies
and then elect his executor to succeed
him.
The civil service commission has dis
covered that it has been badly impos
ed upon by number OF District o
Columbia people, securing depart
mental clerkships by falsely claimin.
citizenship from states whose oflicia
quotas are not exhausted, and, il
consequence, not only will the offend
ing persons he dismissed from puhli
, service but nieas asulres have beel
adopted by the commission to pre-
vent "a further occurrence OF this Gus
tom, borrowed from the spolls poll
. ticians-with many instances Of whicI
your correspondent is familiar.
Those who are informed OF the work
ing OF the depart ment very well under
' stand the significance Of the man,
designations OF the young women clerks
as it generally means their marriage
it being one OF the unwritten laws u
the federal government not ia reiai
> IA man and wife. or a married wOma
in the service. But recently Seretar
Fairrhild and Postmaster GENERA
Villas have given their consent 10 Tia
marriage OF fellow clerks. with the ui
derstanding that they are to retai
;, their places. so. ii this new departur
holds good, it will result in IA violen
epidemic of matrimony in all the d,
partments. 1t has long heen r,i,orte
that Secretary Bayard is enamoure
OF one OF his clerks, and should he We
her, three great departments would
u committed to the new custom. II
:, claimed that the rul. of the govern
g ment in dropping from the pen,io
~ rolls the widows of soldiers when the
marry, is "A fruitful source OF inmora
=. i,y. and that i'm this particular, a
. least, reform il necessary.
The newspaper correspondents ha'
81 nearly succeeded III estrangii
Mcssrs. Carlisle and Randall by rircl
p hating highly colored reports oil wh'
each cf tleee gentl.'... go: al.